FIND YOUR WINGS

Table of Contents Executive Summary....... pg.2 Company Description.. pg.3 Strategic Focus and Plan..... pg.4 Situation Analysis.. pg.5 Market Product Focus. pg.10 Marketing Program.. pg.11 Financial Data and Projections. pg.15 Organization.. pg.16 Implementation.. pg.17 Evaluation and Control pg.17

FIND YOUR WINGS

Red Bull Ultra Natural Series

Competition begins January 18, 2014 & Ends April 5, 2014 1. Executive Summary
The following is a proposal to repurpose the Red Bull Ultra Natural event as a multi-faceted competition in order to market the Red Bull product line to a target of young, active and extreme sports oriented market, while producing valuable and needed publicity for the ski and snowboard industry. Red Bull aims to leverage this marketing opportunity to revive a declining snow sports industry, while at the same time increasing over all product sales and market share while maintaining the strong connection between its brand and the extreme sports industry. Red Bull will accomplish these goals by remodelling the former one day event and implementing it as a four part series, which will showcase the worlds best skiers and snowboarders going head to head on the most challenging freestyle course ever created. Red Bull hopes to achieve an established set of financial and non-financial goals through the marketing and implementation of the Ultra Natural Event that promise to maintain Red Bulls position as the number one energy drink in the world. A number of promotional strategies will be executed to achieve success and publicity for the Ultra Natural competition including online advertising such as banner ads, YouTube, Student Brand Managers, television, website traffic, and social media. The four events will take place at Top resorts around the world two of which will be US based, one in Red Bulls own Austrian backyard, and the final competition taking place at the premier ski resort Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada. The Ultra Natural Competition aims to promote the Red Bull product and brand while helping to revitalize an industry in need, one that Red Bull has worked tirelessly to build its brand image around. Success of the promotion campaign and event will be determined based on number of attendees, social media analytics based on interactions and use of hashtags, and any and all changes in product sales in the quarter following its completion.

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2. Company Description
In the summer of 1982, thirty-six-year-old Austrian toothpaste salesman Dietrich Mateschitz boarded a plane for a routine business trip to Thailand. Upon his arrival Mateschitz found himself Jet lagged, and following the advice of some locals came into the possession of a drink known as Krating Daeng which is Thai for water buffalo that he was told would cure his jet lag. It was in this drink that Mateschitzs entrepreneurial spirit was awakened, and the business of energy drinks was born under the Red Bull name. Mateschitz organized with the current manufacturer, added carbonation to the drink and took it to the West, first introducing the drink to the US in California, 1997. Today more than 4 billion cans are consumed each year, and the product is available in 160 countries around the globe. More than thirty years later, Red Bull has become a company that is hard to describe in traditional terms and established itself as the foremost example of a business that combines brand and action to shape their image. Instead of depicting its brand through generic advertising, Red Bull conveys its story through the creation of compelling events and experiences, all created in an effort to give you wings. Because of this, Red Bull has become much more than simply an energy drink company. They are a content creation superpower as well as an events company that is also an adventure sports lifestyle company. Red Bull currently holds a resounding position as the worlds best-selling and most popular energy drink. They possess a market share of 43% in relation to a 39% share by its closest competitor Monster, and a 10% share by the third place contender Rockstar according to caffeine informer .Following the incredible success and reach of the Red Bull Stratos event held in 2013, the companys overall revenue reached $5.1 billion a 7% global increase, and reportedly sold over 5 billion cans, a 13% increase from the previous year which can be seen in the companys recent figures. Sales jumped as much as 17% in Figure 1: current market share of energy drink companies via caffieneinformer.com the US alone, and as high as 15% in various other foreign markets, proving the effectiveness of Red Bulls event heavy marketing strategy. Red Bulls unique style has allowed them to charge a price premium which separates them from not only other energy drink competitors, but from all other soft drinks, and they continue to exhibit that difference through their annual growth. The Red Bull Ultra Natural Competition originally debuted as part of the Signature Series. Limited to a snowboard only format it includes 18 of the worlds best back country and freestyle riders in a one day competition on a course specifically designed to both test and push the limits of these top athletes. Red Bull is pushing the sport of snowboarding to new limits and looking to expand its reach to the ski community as well, providing some of the worlds best skiers to show what theyve got alongside their snowboarding counterparts. The competition takes snowboarding to the next level requiring limitless skill in a slew of categories to ensure that whoever rides their way to the top can truly claim rights as the best in the world. 3

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3. Strategic Focus and Plan

The following section will highlight the mission, goals, core competencies and sustainable advantage of Red Bull Ultra Natural. Mission The mission of Red Bull Ultra Natural Series is to repurpose the Signature Series event as a multi-faceted competition in an effort to market the Red Bull beverage line to a young extreme sports oriented market and increase overall product sales and market share. We aim to promote the Red Bull brand synonymy with extreme sports while revitalizing a declining ski and snowboard industry. Goals In the coming year Red Bull hopes to achieve the following goals through the production and implementation of the Red Bull Ultra Natural Series: Nonfinancial Goals 1. To increase brand equity within our consumers by providing exhilarating events, related to the product and its message. 2. To retain Red Bulls present role as the leading energy drink, and maintain its link with progressive events in the world of extreme sports. 3. To deliver 4 successful Ultra Natural events, culminating in one grand finale at Whistler Resort in British Columbia, Canada. 4. To attract upwards of 500 new Red Bull drinkers. 5. To achieve sponsorship contracts with top two athletes in both skiing and snowboarding. Financial Goals 1. To achieve an increase of 1-2% market share over the months following the competition. 2. To attain totals of over $150,000 revenue on VIP passes and luxury seating for each of the Ultra Natural events. 3. To obtain a legitimate increase in overall product sales in the quarter following the Ultra Natural competition.

Core Competency and Sustainable Advantage In regards to core competency, Red Bull seeks to attain a unique ability to (1) Create and manage high level marketing events that incite consumer participation with the Red Bull product line and brand story carefully crafted to Give You Wings and (2) Increase brand equity and awareness through on site promotional giveaways and ad campaigns inspiring consumers to Find their Wings. (3) To deliver on our goals through non-price competitive strategies such as offering adrenaline-charged compelling events, high quality consistent products, and through sponsorship of inspirational and progressive minded athletes in the extreme sports world.

Figure 2: To help promote the competition, and consumer involvement, Red Bull will feature a new ad campaign based around the "Find Your Wings" tagline in industry related magazines or their websites.

FIND YOUR WINGS To translate these core competencies into a sustainable advantage, Red Bull will look to its internal organizations such as the Red Bull Media House and theyre highly skilled team of event managers, as well as creating valuable partnerships with ski resorts around the world to host current and future Ultra Natural events In an effort to satisfy and inspire consumers in a number of diverse locations.

4. Situation Analysis
SWOT Analysis
This situational analysis starts with a snapshot of the current environment in which Red Bull finds itself situated by providing a brief SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. Following this overview, the analysis will delve into deeper subject matter: industry, competitors, company, and consumers. Figure 3 below displays the internal and external factors affecting the market opportunities for Red Bull, and the Ultra Natural Competition. This SWOT analysis highlights the extreme progressions Red Bull has made and is capable of continuing. Conducted

Favorable Strengths: Industry Leader Immense marketing capabilities conducted in house Large marketing budget dedicated to events and promotion Large geographic presence

Unfavorable Weaknesses: Lack of innovation Small product base Immense marketing expenses to conduct competitions Small chance for direct revenue production as a result of the event Isolated event locations Threats: Unpredictable weather patterns Consumer health concerns Winter conditions Limited Accessibility Competition

Internal

External Opportunities: Diversification of retail outlets and sponsors Geographical expansion Reinforce brand equity in a strong target market Emerging markets
Figure 3: Swot Analysis for Red Bull Ultra Natural Event

Red Bull possesses a number of internal strengths such as currently maintaining its role as the number one energy drink producer and distributor in the world. It has maintained that role due to its strong base of competencies such as event management, brand strategy, content creation, and a track record of excellence. Red Bulls strongest assets lay in the marketing department which has a knack for creating some of the worlds most incredible and watched events, and their deep pocket as a large revenue generating business. Our events boast excellent acceptance rates, and our online 5

FIND YOUR WINGS presence is one of the best in global business. Through our online outlets we effectively create, license, and distribute content at an incredible pace, with consistent feedback from our consumers and fans. Favorable external factors include the chance to utilize major ski resorts as retail outlets, and also utilizing the Ultra Natural competition as a chance to align with new sponsorship prospects that would help popularize the brand. Having a strong relationship with ski resorts could open up a slew of possibilities for Red Bull. The Ultra Natural competition is unique because of its diverse nature. No competition exists in snowboarding that demands such a combination of elements, and park design. The Ultra Natural competition would call for a number of diverse mountains to play host, allowing Red Bull to expand geographically even further than we already have. Running events like these provide Red Bull the opportunity to build on an already positive and popular brand image, thus improving their equity and recognition which can generate improved sales. Among unfavourable factors, the most significant weaknesses Red Bull possesses are a small product base to maintain the interest of customers, a lack of direct revenue from these events in which attendance is typically free, and the isolated location of the mountains on which these events will take place. Many of the events proposed locations are not easily accessible for all, however they are still capable of drawing large crowds, especially during peak winter Figure 4: Red Bull maintains a limited, but high quality product line months. Some of the threats the competition faces are unpredictable winter conditions, relative to the amount of snowfall needed to host a backcountry competition such as Ultra Natural. A number of other external threats that Red Bull faces are other snowboarding competitions that may interfere with the rider or competition schedules such as the Dew Tour, World Championships, or even the Winter Olympics. These threats may limit the success of the Ultra Natural competitions marketing advantages. Some of the internal forces Red Bull must accommodate for an already incredibly busy event season, in which they are hosting competitions around the globe. Providing the marketing and event management team ample time to plan and implement the new and improved Ultra Natural competition will be difficult when allocating resources. Other internal factors will be the companys general performance in the 2013 year before the event is held. Based on Red Bulls current strategy events are funded off of the businesses own cash flow. Maintaining a successful cash flow from product sales is imperative to ensure the success of the Ultra Natural event. External factors faced by Red Bull lay in a political and economic sense. Based on the state of the economy, many consumers may not have the ample resources to attend such an event, nor spend their money on the premium priced Red Bull cans they find at their local stores. However Red Bull looks to combat this with free entry to events, and complementary samples of the product for all attendees. Finally health concerns over the product have been an issue in the past and continue to arise for the company. With deaths being linked to its usage, Red Bull must maintain a positive outlook and work swiftly with their PR department to maintain the image they have worked tirelessly to create for themselves.

FIND YOUR WINGS Industry Analysis: Trends in the Snow Sports and Energy Drink Industries Snow Sports. According to the New York Times and a study conducted by RRC associates, the snowboard industry has fizzled off from its boom that occurred throughout the 90s. The reasons being: The generation that brought snowboarding to its peak is aging, and as they grow older they no longer have the time, health, or resources to get out on the hill like they used to. Only helping to accentuate the problem is the influx of freestyle skiing, accommodating all the needs of skiers to match the freestyle capabilities presented by a snowboard. As skis return to their former glory snowboarding is fizzling out. In 2003-4 more than 40% of all beginners on the slope were snowboarders. That percentage has Figure 5: Current state of snow sports market fallen to only 34% in the past season. Transworld Business confirmed a declining trend in the snowboard industry and displayed resurgence in the sale of Alpine ski equipment available in figure 4. Red Bull will look to combat a failing market, by ushering in some of the greatest snowboarders the current generation has seen and getting fans excited about their sport once again. Revitalizing an industry, as well as fostering the return of skiing, by including a ski section of the event designed to reach an even larger target market and attract more viewers to the event or to online feeds. Energy Drinks. The energy drink and sport markets have been forever fused following Red Bulls ascension in the ranks. Countless other energy drink produces are attempting to align their brand with Red Bull and compete for a spot near the top. In response to this the energy drink market is, and Figure 7: energy drink consumption rates (Forseth) has been on the rise for quite some time now. Red Bull still commands the top spot as you can see in figure 1 above, and has quoted earnings of more than $5 billion this past year. According to Energy Drinks and Shots: Market Trends in the U.S." the energy drink market has grown more than 60% from 2008-2012 alone, and is still in its reported infancy meaning it has much more room to grow. The market is saturated with imitators but dominated by Red Bull and its main competitors, Monster, Rockstar, and 5 7

Figure 6: rising number of energy drink sales (Forseth)

FIND YOUR WINGS Hour Energy. Packaged Facts suggests that retail distribution of energy drinks is growing even faster than consumer consumption with convenience stores accounting for 59% of energy drink sales. Energy drink sales are on the rise, and Red Bulls strategic event and sponsorship based marketing strategy have helped skyrocket them to the top where they command more than 40% of the market in 2013 boasting massive sales numbers and an eye for the future as growth continues annually for all major competitors. Competitors in the Energy and Extreme Sports Markets The energy drink market represents a $15 billion dollar industry here in 2013, and is showing no signs of slowing down. The average target consumer will drink 2-4 energy drinks per week, and some as many as 6-10. As the industry leader Red Bull has strived and succeeded in setting itself apart from the competition by creating a brand image shrouded in content creation and sponsorships all related to the extreme sports field. As many energy drinks have taken notice of Red Bulls success they have attempted to mimic their marketing strategy, Mountain Dew linking its brand to the extreme sports competition known as the Dew Tour. Extremely close to the Red Bull Signature Series, but on a smaller scale. Monster Energy the number two energy drink brand after Red Bull has strived to create a brand identity almost synonymous to the leader, hosting live extreme sports events and concerts to attract a similar target market. Monster has followed in Red Bulls footsteps also sponsoring two formula one racing teams, however Red Bull has taken it a step further and does not only sponsor the team. They own the teams, among others that include 4 professional soccer clubs, a flight crew, and a list of sponsorships that dwarfs that of Monster and Rockstar, their two closest competitors. Although others will mimic, no other energy drink company can catch up to the progressive actions of Figure 8: Red Bull sales have remained Red Bull. What Monster has been able to accomplish static by volume, while Monsters sales by volume continue to grow however is that they have leveraged stronger distribution channels than Red Bull and their product continues to appear on shelves more consistently and providing them an edge in volume sales. Company Analysis Founders Dietrich Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya have taken what was once simply an energy drink company and morphed it into something completely unique. An almost undefinable product and brand, Red Bull has diversified its functionality to the point where the business has been able to branch out in multiple directions. A strong link to high energy extreme sports and stunts have helped shape the brands Figure 9: Campaigns like the Red Bull Stratos event have ushered Red Bull into a new era of progression in marketing identity into what it is today, and are responsible for the breath taking marketing the company is capable of. According to Euromonitor International the brand reinvests 8

FIND YOUR WINGS 30-40% of its annual earnings back into the marketing and promotions departments to host events like Ultra Natural and the Stratos campaign. Red Bull has utilized a three point marketing strategy that includes buzz marketing, TV commercials, and sponsorship to achieve its place as the leading brand in the industry. Red Bull has also extended its reach into many other markets including ownership of two champion formula 1 racing teams, a NASCAR racing team, and 4 different professional soccer clubs that span the globe. Red Bull also sponsors countless events ranging from mountain biking, to air races and cliff diving, and leaps from space like the Stratos event in 2013. In recent years the company has enjoyed major success and now employs nearly 9,000 people in over 160 countries, and has seen considerable growth in foreign markets South Africa (+52%), Japan (+51%), Germany (+14%) and even in the US at (+17%), and since 2009 has seen growth of about 16% according to Euromonitor International. Headlining Red Bulls recent success is the Stratos event that went public on over 1 million live feeds via the internet while going Figure 10: Red Bull has enjoyed increases in product sales viral on every form of social media they are from 2007-12 present on. Red Bulls ability to generate its own content through exhilarating events has been the driving force behind the businesses success over the course of its life and has ensured its success in future. Customer Analysis In terms of customer analysis this section describes (1) the characteristics of customers expected to buy Red Bull energy drinks and (2) The effect of events like the Ultra Natural on the consumer mind. Customer Characteristics: Demographically, Red Bull is purchased individually by consumers that function in a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Red Bulls consumers are typically well educated and utilize the drink to extend study sessions into the late hours of the night. It is typically purchased by young men ages 17-30 that enjoy watching and participating in sports both extreme and traditional. They enjoy danger, progression, experimentation, and pushing their own limits. These young men come from a diverse set of professions, from the full time student, to the early morning commuter, Red Bull has the benefits necessary to provide them with the energy to begin, or end their day. They can be found pulling all-nighters, engaging in video game competitions with friends, or hitting the gym day in and day out. These men enjoy a young lifestyle typically Figure 11: Your typical Red Bull consumer enjoys an active filled with surprise, and they enjoy going out lifestyle, and pushing the limits of their bodies. for a wild night on the town. Grassroots campaigns often reach these young men effectively through student brand managers that hand out free samples or throw parties sporting Red Bull samples everywhere. These young men prefer to listen to their peers than to large scale 9

FIND YOUR WINGS advertisements, they are more susceptible to word of mouth advertising, and enjoy the taste and kick of energy drinks. Events: Witnessing others perform incredible stunts, witnessing the progression of a sport beyond what was once thought possible, and seeing it before your eyes often has a profound effect on people. One of Red Bulls most successful marketing strategies has been in the free events it hosts for its fans and consumers. In many, if not all of these competitions the focus is more on the actual sport than the consumer. Red Bull events push professional athletes to attempt the impossible and to succeed before the eyes of thousands of onlookers. At these events they surround the consumer with brand logos, samples, music, media, anything that will place the Red Bull brand in their head to associate it with accomplishing your wildest dreams and feats of truly incredible nature. When these consumers return from witnessing the events unfold before them, they will forever associate it with the Red Bull brand, ensuring fool proof brand recognition and an incredibly adept word of mouth grassroots marketing campaign.

5. Market-Product Focus
This section describes the one- year marketing, event and product objectives for Red Bull, and the target markets, points of difference, and positioning of its events for the Ultra Natural Competition. Marketing and Event Objectives Red Bulls marketing intent is total advantage of its brand potential by repurposing a former event from which other revenue sources can be generated, both from product sales and services. These are detailed below: Promotion of new products. Red Bulls recent release of the edition series, sporting new infused flavors such as blueberry, cranberry and lime will gain serious notoriety and publicity at the multiple events offered by the Ultra Natural competition ensuring a large amount of buzz is generated for the new product line. Revitalization of faltering Snowboard Industry. Recent years have seen a considerable decrease in the snowboard industrys participation and earnings. Ultra Natural will provide the industry much needed publicity. VIP Services. Each of the Ultra Natural events will support a VIP experience for up to 300 guests willing to pay the entry fee. These VIP services will serve to generate upwards of $50$100,000 dollars per event. New Markets. Expanding the geographic reach of the Ultra Natural competition will allow Red Bull to get a foot in the door in foreign markets they may not have taken advantage of already, in an effort to push brand reach beyond 200 countries. Current Markets. Current markets will receive notable updates on the competition through live feeds, TV broadcasts, and a consistent stream of social media feeds. Increased publicity of the major events will increase brand equity with the consumer, while creating notable brand recognition.

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FIND YOUR WINGS Target Markets The primary target market for the Red Bull Ultra Natural competition will be young men and women ages 16- 30 with an interest in extreme sports, and more specifically winter sports. They are active minded sports enthusiasts, who earn a middle class to above average income or come from a middle class or above average home. These are adventurous consumers who enjoy the taste of energy drinks and are looking for thrills. Points of Difference The points of difference that separate Red Bull and its Ultra Natural competition from its competitors fall into three crucial areas: An unmatched VIP experience. Guests willing to pay the additional fee to witness the competitions in the lap of luxury will enjoy catered food and beverages, a heated viewing environment, a chance to meet the athletes, and an all-inclusive experience that exposes them to the high end side of Red Bull. A new breed of snow sport competition. The Ultra Natural competition places the worlds best skiers and snowboarders on the most challenging and innovative track of their lives, forcing them to push their own limits beyond what they even believe is possible, ensuring a truly one of a kind experience for all. An unrivalled fully encompassing experience. Guests are welcome to view the competition free of charge, and will be subject to product tosses, raffles, giveaways, food, and of course free Red Bull for everyone and anyone who shows up to support our brand and its athletes.

Positioning As the sports have progressed, professional snowboarding and skiing have both been separated into three general disciplines, slopestyle, backcountry, and urban. It was rare two riders were competition worthy in all categories, let alone only one of them. The Red Bull Ultra Natural seeks a new breed of rider. Someone capable of traversing a treacherously steep mountain face, riddled with backcountry and slopestyle designed jumps which they execute flawlessly, and ultimately leading to an urban sprawl where they can showcase their more technical skills. These are the riders of Red Bull, and the company has merged these three styles of snowboarding into one all-inclusive competition under the Red Bull banner to obtain a strong positioning in consumer minds as to the relation between extreme sport progression and the Red Bull product.

6. Marketing Program
The four marketing mix elements of the Red Bull Ultra Natural competition marketing program are detailed below. Product Strategy Competition. The Red Bull Ultra Natural event is a ski and snowboard competition that will stretch the span of 4 months and take place on one day of each consecutive month. This type of event aligns extremely well with the target market of Red Bull and the event prior that is being repurposed has been extremely successful in the past. The first competition will feature 16 male skiers and 16 male 11

FIND YOUR WINGS snowboarders, all of whom are at the top of the sport and possess the unique abilities necessary to thrive on a challenging course such as this. As the three initial competitions are completed the two lowest scoring riders in both skiing and snowboarding will be eliminated outright, until the grand finale in Whistler, BC which will feature the ten best riders in the world in their respective sports. Venue. Venue selection is one of the most important decisions to make for the Ultra Natural competition, and also the most difficult. Red Bull has developed relationships with ski resorts around the world through prior events they have hosted and sponsored, however for a competition such as this extreme manipulation of a section of the mountain must be implemented. The mountains selected must also be host to the right types of conditions to guarantee enough snowfall and the necessary terrain to build an Ultra Natural Course. Cooperation with ski Figure 12: The Ultra Natural Course features unique obstacles built into the mountain face resorts will be imperative to the completion of this event as the course must be built and maintained months in advance. However resorts stand to produce substantial financial and reputational gains from hosting the Ultra Natural series. Experience. One of the things that set Red Bull competitions apart is the incredibly luxurious VIP experience they offer to those willing to pay the entry fee. Luxury venue locations are available filled with accommodations to fit the needs of our high end guests. Including food and drink from a high class caterer meet and greets with the athletes, heated viewing locations, and a secure and cooperative staff willing to fulfil your wishes. For those who cannot afford the VIP experience or do not wish to pay the fee, the general admission sports a slew of perks that even those special VIP members will not have access to. Prize raffles, chances to meet the Red Bull girls, an outdoor experience, live music, and tons of free giveaways ensure any and all guests a grand time. Price Strategy General Admission. In an effort to maintain our effective event marketing techniques, attendance at the Red Bull Ultra Natural will be offered for free. Based on the large scale of the venue, we can accommodate a very large number of guests. Based on the general target market for the product and event, the majority of these student, and young men and women do not have the excess income to purchase tickets to an event like this, considering the costs it would take for them to attend already in terms of transportation. The cost of admission will remain free for these reasons, however food and beverages will be offered at premium prices, as well as ski and snowboard vendors offering their product to consumers attending the event. Red Bull will be distributed complementarily. VIP. Similar to other events like the Red Bull Air Show, we will provide an all-inclusive VIP experience for guests willing to cover the $1,500 dollar price tag, with family deals extending into the $2-2500 dollar range. Those who dish out the extra cash for this ticket can expect personal attention and 12

FIND YOUR WINGS service with the hosts, Red Bull and the current mountain, Premium VIP viewing of the Ultra Natural competition, a chance to spend the day with the athletes, a first-hand view of the course from above, delicious lunch, and desserts and unlimited beverages including water, soda, beer, and wine. VIP guests will enjoy admission to the air show, preferred parking, and the chance to mingle with other VIPs including some of Red Bulls executive staff. Event Cost. Based on the general status and scale of the event assumed cost will be extensive. Preparation and building for each event will scale into the $300,000-$500,000 range following labor and material costs. Total costs for all 4 events are estimated at $2 million dollars. The events expect a generous attendance rate if weather permits, calling for anywhere from 2-4,000 general admittance attendees. 150-200 VIP guests can be expected prompting a generous return from the VIP experience. Prize money will be awarded to the top three riders, first place ($35,000), second ($20,000), and third ($15,000). Promotion Strategy Key promotion strategies for the Red Bull Ultra Natural include online banner advertisements, creation of a YouTube series which presents shorts of each rider, television advertisements, student brand manager interaction, website, e-bulletins, and social media. Online/ Print Advertising. Red Bull is not well known for its print or banner advertisements, but they do run them. For the Ultra Natural snowboarding event, Red Bull will feature online banner ads focused on internet users in their specific target market. As well as featuring the same style ads in industry magazines that reach extreme sports enthusiasts. The ads will feature prior images of the athletes in the Supernatural and Ultra Natural competitions that have been held in the past. Each ad will sport the tagline and hashtag Find Your Wings and will link to both the Red Bull and event
Figure 13: Online Banner ads featuring the "Find Your Wings" tagline Twitter and website driving traffic will be featured on industry related websites through our extensive online communities. Online ads will be featured on industry related websites to attract the greatest amount of target consumers.

YouTube. YouTube has been an extremely successful tool for Red Bull marketing, and has produced incredible results. Utilized in a similar format to the Red Bull Stratos the YouTube channel will focus on pre promotion for the event. A series will be created documenting the profile and abilities of each rider partaking in the competition. They will present a brief bio and showcase some of the riders best skills that make them ample candidates for the competition. This will generate buzz about the Ultra Natural competition while providing consumers a chance to meet the athletes they will soon be watching. The YouTube channel will be effective in documenting the building process of the 13

FIND YOUR WINGS courses as well; getting fans involved from the very beginning, but will also be extremely important tools documenting the event live. Stratos generated over 8 million live views via 500,000 YouTube streams during the event, Ultra Natural is capable of producing mass viewing populations as well. Television. Red Bulls classic use of television ads are typically associated with quirky cartoons consisting of some crude humor that almost always results in the character growing wings and flying away. The Ultra Natural will pair with Red Bull Media House to create compelling and inspiring advertisements aimed at the extreme sports market. These ads will debut on channels such as Spike, ESPN, ESPN2, Fuse, and Discovery. The ads will feature the competitors from the Ultra Natural competition, among other sponsored athletes. The Ultra Natural Events will be broadcast on television via NBC Sports, although live streams will be available exclusively via Red Bull channels. Student Brand Managers: Red Bull has built its incredible brand equity by reaching its target at the source. We will operate in the same grassroots style to increase awareness of the Ultra Natural competition via direct word of mouth advertising. Student ambassadors will be dispersed around college campuses in areas where events are being held, as well as across the US in an effort to raise awareness of both the YouTube campaign and upcoming event. This will provide us with a sense of how well our pre promotion efforts are working, as well as garnering feedback from fans and consumers.

Figure 14: Student brand managers have proven to be an extremely effective method of grassroots advertising for Red Bull in the past

Website & Social Media. Quite possibly the most important area of promotion for the Ultra Natural event will occur via Red Bulls various social networks including pages like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These are all easily accessible from any platform or device and will help drive traffic to the event website and its continuously updated progress blog. Red Bull will create content specifically designed for the platform it is being displayed on. Twitter will be accessed heavily pumping out twitpics and Instagram shots of riders, or the building process worthy of fans retweets and likes, building that visual connection between the competition and the Red Bull brand. Twitter will be utilized heavily to allow for consumer interaction with both Red Bull and the athletes that are participating. The Twitter campaign will run under the #Findyourwings hashtag providing a way for Red Bull to track its consumer interaction. Place/Convenience Strategy Event Locale. The Red Bull Ultra Natural Series will take place at four of the worlds premier ski resorts. Possible venues include Jackson Hole, Squaw Valley, Park City, Canyons, and Vail Colorado for the US. European venues could include Zermatt, Switzerland, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France, or a return to Red Bulls home in Austria at Kitzbuhel, a premier resort. The final event will take place at Whistler Black Comb in British Columbia, Canada. The event is appropriately times between the months of January and April to allow ample time for consumers to plan any trips they may have to make to attend, while also hitting the peak of the winter season. Being that all of these locations are 14

FIND YOUR WINGS part of the top 20 ski resorts in the world, they are more than capable of handling the large crowds Ultra Natural could attract, as well as providing ample space and resources for the course to be built and viewing venues to be constructed. Advertising Placement. The advertising strategy implemented by Red Bull for the Ultra Natural competition calls for ad placement in the proper locations, and use of relevant, industry related locations. Ads will appear on websites such as Snowboarder Magazine, Transworld, Transworld Business, New Schoolers, and an increased attempt to spread the word through well-established industry blogs that condone frequent traffic from fans and consumers. Videos and content created by Red Bull for the competition will be displayed via YouTube and Facebook, allowing for sharing and the chance to create viral content. Television ads will be visible on stations commonly visited by young men ages 16-30 including programs like ESPN, Fuse, G4, and Spike but will not be limited to specifically sport oriented channels, including programs like the Discovery channel which attract a diverse range of targets. Broadcasting. The Red Bull Ultra Natural Series will be broadcast live online through Red Bulls home page, as well as through multiple licensed YouTube channels. Due to the close proximity of the second competition to the Sochi Winter Olympics, live television broadcasts will not occur. However, the competitions will be broadcast on later dates, or as one after completion of the Ultra Natural series. The event will be live tweeted via the Red Bull Twitter, as well as up to the minute Facebook posts documenting the events of the competition that day. Each will utilize the hashtag #FindYourWings as a way to measure progress, fan interaction, and media effectiveness.

7. Financial Data and Projections

Red Bull events are commonly mistaken as money making generators, when in reality they are created to increase publicity, while pushing sponsored athletes to progress their sports to new heights. These are not purely revenue driven events, and Red Bull stakes a serious interest in facilitating the growth of the extreme sports it has built its brand on. One of the reasons Red Bull has found so much success through event marketing has been its ability to reach the eyes of consumers outside of its target market, while conforming to the companys well known slogan and creating vivid brand memories for consumers to recall when they see the Red Bull Logo. The Red Bull Stratos is a perfect example of how the company leverages event marketing to generate future revenue through product sales. The event was viewed live by over 8 million viewers, Figure 15: Red Bull has enjoyed increased sales of cans in recent years including millions outside of Red Bulls through their implementation of branded events like Stratos and Ultra
Natural and through incredible branded storytelling

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FIND YOUR WINGS target market. The project itself cost Red Bull millions to produce, but publicity and brand associations generated through its completion will be worth tens of millions in future product sales. Red Bull has already reaped the benefits of the Stratos mission increasing sales drastically in the year that followed. The company has worked tirelessly to promote its brand image through major events like this, all synonymous with the companys slogan gives you wings. Following Red Bulls implementation of the Ultra Natural competition, they can expect sales greater than the previous year, in excess of the $5 billion they earned in 2013. The Red Bull Ultra Natural will be a public event free of charge, which will also offer a VIP experience at the premium price of $1,500 dollars for single entry, and $2-2,500 dollars for family or group entry. Assuming a VIP group of 100-200 guests at each event Red Bull stands to generate $150,000+ dollars with each event. It is important to keep in mind however that these earnings will be used to fund similar programs and to continuously improve the level of events Red Bull has become so well known for.

8. Organization
Red Bull is a business comprised of likeminded individuals. When we look for employees we search for people with similar interests, beliefs, and skills to complete the job requires. Red Bull selects employees based on sets of characteristics such as skills, physical abilities, and attitudes in hopes of identifying candidates with ideal conditions for engaging tasks and motivating others around them. In an effort to create a homogenous organization Red Bull does everything in their power to bring on full time employees with similar interests to create a cohesive network of compatible employees. Red Bull remains a privately held company today, and relies upon its own cash flow to fund events and promotions, rather than incoming cash from investors and stakeholders.

Board of Directors

Deitrich Mateschitz (Founder and CEO)

CFO Chief Financial Officer

CMO Chief Marketing Officer

CPO Chief Productions Officer

Event management Team

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9. Implementation Plan
Repurposing the Red Bull Ultra Natural competition is a serious undertaking, and will require intensive pre promotional efforts to ensure the event is well publicized and better received. Promotional efforts will be focused on attracting members of our target market to tune in and participate in our Ultra Natural events in its multiple locations. The anticipated roll out schedule will begin on Saturday January 18, 2014 and will proceed with a second and third instalment occurring on the 15th of February and the 15th of March if weather permits. The final event will take place on the first Saturday of April, the 5th marking the end of the Ultra Natural competition and the close out of the regular ski season as we delve further into the spring season. For the 2014 Ultra Natural Series, two events will take place in US resorts. Relative to weather conditions the events will take place at two of the Top 10 resorts in the country capable of accommodating a large crowd, and the space needed to build the Ultra Natural course. The third event will take place in one of our European markets, most likely Red Bulls home country, Austria. We have a long established presence in Austrian markets and can guarantee a large attendance and participation rate. The finale event will take place at the worlds number one premier ski resort Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada. Whistler has hosted the Winter Olympics in recent years, and can do more than simply accommodate fans and consumers coming to witness the event.

10. Evaluation & Control

In anticipation of the event consumer feedback will be monitored heavily. This will be done via consistent analysis in terms of television ratings on channels where ads are displayed, click through rates via online banner ads, website traffic, YouTube hits, Facebook shares, content distribution, and student brand managers feedback. Most importantly activity via Twitter and other forms of social media interaction can be tracked via the #FindYourWings hashtag that will debut months before the competition to produce excitement for the upcoming Ultra Natural Events. The ultimate goals Red Bull hopes to accomplish through the repurposing of the Ultra Natural Competition are as follows: Increased product sales Broader market reach Increased brand awareness Increased traffic to the Red Bull Ultra Natural website Improved Events Stronger content distribution via social media platforms.

These goals will be continuously monitored and assessed via the measurable platforms promotional content will be distributed on, providing Red Bull with analytical feedback to implement in future marketing campaigns.

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References:
"Energy Drinks and Shots: U.S. Market Trends : Packaged Facts." Energy Drinks and Shots: U.S. Market Trends : Packaged Facts. N.p., 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://www.packagedfacts.com/Energy-Drinks-Shots-7124908/>. Forseth, Jamie. "Monster Beverage Corporation: Yale Investment Thesis." Monster Beverage Corporation: Yale Investment Thesis. N.p., 9 May 2012. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://www.gurufocus.com/news/175109/monster-beverage-corporation-yale-investment-thesis>. Lewis, Mike. "Snowboard Market Briefing." Transworld Business RSS. Transworld, 3 June 2013. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://business.transworld.net/131703/features/snowboard-marketbriefing/?pid=43486>. Montague, Ty. True Story: How to Combine Story and Action to Transform Your Business. N.p.: Harvard Business Review, 2013. Medium.com. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <https://medium.com/bookexcerpts/e4c7832ee71c>. "Red Bull Gives You Wings - RedBull.com." Red Bull. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2013. <http://www.redbull.com/us/en>. "RGB Social." RGB Social. N.p., 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 02 Dec. 2013. <http://blog.rgbsocial.com/2012/10/15/6-ways-that-red-bull-absolutely-killed-it-with-stratos/>. "Soft Drinks: Red Bull GMBH." Soft Drinks: Red Bull GMBH. Euromonitor, Apr. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. <http://www.euromonitor.com/medialibrary/PDF/RedBull-Company-Profile-SWOTAnalysis.pdf>. Solomon, Christopher. "Has Snowboarding Lost Its Edge?" NYtimes.com. New York Times, 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 29 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/travel/has-snowboarding-lost-itsedge.html?_r=0>. "The Top 15 Energy Drink Brands." The Top 15 Energy Drink Brands. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2013. <http://www.caffeineinformer.com/the-15-top-energy-drink-brands>. Walker, Rob. "R. Walker: The Murketing of Red Bull." R. Walker: The Murketing of Red Bull. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2013. <http://www.robwalker.net/contents/jm_redbull.html>. Zmuda, Natalie. "Advertising Age." Advertising Age Special Report Marketer AList 2013 RSS. Advertising Age, 2 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://adage.com/article/special-reportmarketer-alist-2013/red-bull-stratos-space-jump-helped-sell-a-lot-product/243751/>.

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